Gotta tell you about this new stuff…

I went to six to midnight at Threadbear last night (yes I’m mobile again…gorgeous boy child fitted the new alternator yesterday morning then promptly took off in my car for his own job,  returning at 5.30…pushing his luck)

Anyway, I want to share these new needles and other time saving tools Corliss has in stock.

First up is this packet of Mylar Circles, they’re called Perfect Circles and are by Karen Kay Buckley.

Karen Kay Buckley's Perfect Circles available from Threadbear

Packet didn't photograph too well, sorry.

Now for the important stuff… there are two packets available, one with the smaller circles and one with larger circles.  I only bought the smaller circles. There are fifteen sizes in my packet, starting at 1/2″ or 12mm  and goes up to 2″ (I just measured across a ruler, DH has one of those gadgety things that measures thing really minutely, when it matters…I didn’t think this mattered that much)   And you get four circles of each size.   Also included in the pack is the ring to keep them all neat and tidy, essential…can you imagine the mess if they ever got loose.  Oh, and an Instruction Sheet, usual method of cutting a larger circle, stitching round the edge and drawing up around the template.   Starch with a *non residue leaving* starch…I use Best Press,  and Voila a perfect little circle.

As soon as  I saw them I thought *Phebe*…cos I haven’t even contemplated those apples yet.   But this morning I got Phebe down off the shelf and made a tiny apple with my new circle.  The smallest in my pack is just a weeny bit big for Phebe’s apple trees but I can live with it, especially cos they’re perfctly round.  I’m all for anything that cuts out a fiddly step and leaves more time for stitching.

Here’s Phebe…

My Phebe, designed by Di Ford.

The apple tree has my newly made apple dangling off it waiting to be stitched down.   My beloved Smithsonian Fabric is getting used in Phebe “cos she’s worth it”.  You can also see that my Sarah Morrell quilt (also by Di Ford) has made it back up on the design wall after a hiatus on the shelf.

Detail so you can see the apple.

The other things I found at Threadbear is the black mat, shown at the top of the post (the circles are on it)   This is a bit rubbery and fabrics for piecing or applique just stick there without falling off.   Great for keeping everything together.  I also found that I can use it instead of my sandpaper board,  the fabric doesn’t grab like it sometimes can on the sandpaper.

And new needles to try…

This morning I tried the quilting needles for piecing and I’m a convert.  The packet says “pierces smoothly through fabric” and it’s true.

Also, gold tipped so I can thread it and it doesn’t bend.  Superb.  I haven’t tried the Applique ones yet…I will when I sew that little apple down though,   but I’m sure I won’t be dissapointed.

I see some bloggers have a list of UFOs and WIPs on their sidebar and the progress of each (if any LOL)…I’m starting to think this could be a good idea for me too, if only to help with my eternal quest for orderliness and ,well, it’s just like another form of filing isn’t it.

Look out…if I get around to it the list is scarily long.

Thanks for visiting…